Miko and Mate
by Umei no Mai
Summary: Sequel to Fangs of the Father. Kagome and Inutaisho have passed through the well into the future, but it seems the present is not as devoid of youkai as the young kami initially believed. Not having any knowledge of how the three realms were separated or the actions of the Spirit Detectives, the couple are soon thoroughly entangled in the affairs of the modern demon population...
1. Home

**Home**

…

**Truth**

Properly introducing her mate to her mother and grandfather proves an interesting experience for Kagome. The miko-kami is still wearing her bloodied feudal clothing with Dokuseiga threaded through her obi and her Sacred Longbow slung across her back; Inutaisho is even more magnificent in his pristine traditional garments, spiked armour and his mokomoko in its proper place hanging down his back. Her mother is wide-eyed but very accepting; her grandfather on the other hand takes one look at the regal inu daiyoukai, gibbers something incomprehensible and faints dead away.

**Past**

Upon reawakening her grandpa reveals that he recognised the Dog General from the depictions of him included in the Shrine's records: The Higurashi Shrine is so named because, despite it being so near the eastern coast of Japan, it was built on a holy site where the infamous Dog General's wandering spirit had supposedly been laid to rest. Hence the shrine's name; Higurashi meant 'sunset'.

**History**

The shrine had originally been commissioned and built to the specifications of a Kagura dancer a few years before the end of the Sengoku era, and the priest who she had appointed to run it after she retired had taken the name of the shrine as his own. Kagome suspected said 'dancer' to have been Kagura the Wind Witch, who had evidently made good on her threat to construct a shrine in Kagome's honour. It made her wonder what exactly was contained in the Shrine's inner sanctuary.

**Marriage**

Upon properly recovering from his shock and learning that Inutaisho sincerely wishes to marry Kagome as soon as possible, the young kami's grandfather leaps into action, dashing out of the house so he can set up all that is required for a traditional Shinto wedding ceremony. Kagome knows her marriage cannot be officially sanctioned –being a youkai from the distant past her mate lacks the necessary legal paperwork– but it is enough for her. Then her mother suggests they register the inuyoukai as a 'foreign' spouse and Kagome realises legality may be possible after all.

* * *

So here it is, the beginning of the long-awaited sequel to Fangs of the Father. I've much less of definite events to follow on this one, so it won't update as quickly. I will endeavour to keep all my readers entertained though, so watch this space!


	2. Affirmation

**Affirmation**

…

**Background**

It proves unnecessary to register her mate as a foreign spouse after the private Shinto ceremony at the Shrine: Inutaisho actually exists in the system already. Kagome is intrigued to see him listed as 'Saidou Inutaisho' alongside 'Saidou Sesshoumaru', Saidou Shippo' and 'Saidou Kanna' in his supposed family records; she suspects there is has been a great deal of illegal document shuffling going on over the centuries maintaining that family identity, though there is a note on traditional family names being repeated with every generation. She suspects there are many youkai in the civil service making sure nobody notices.

**Entrapment**

Saidou Inutaisho is officially twenty-four and has been betrothed to Higurashi Kagome from the age of twenty-one; she would have been thirteen then. Kagome suspects the contract is Sesshoumaru's ruthless and pragmatic efficiency at work, considering the contract specifies that their wedding is to take place as soon after her sixteenth birthday as is practical for both parties. She also sees Inuyasha's fingerprints here and there despite his name being absent from the family records, as he was the only person who knew she had told her friends that Inutaisho was Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru's elder brother. Shippo is listed as a ward of the Saidou family and Kanna is apparently Sesshoumaru's wife, which is unexpected but not actually all that surprising; five hundred years is a long time and the void child must have grown up.

However as a result of the contract in her family file and Inutaisho's presence in the system, it is startlingly easy for the couple to register their marriage and Kagome returns home a happily married woman.

**Welcome**

On entering the house attached to the Higurashi Shrine Kagome finds that her mother has leapt into action in their absence and reorganised things to accommodate for the couple. All of Kagome's belongings have been either put into boxes or moved into the double bedroom that Mama Higurashi had once shared with her husband, furniture has been moved around and the room which had formerly been Kagome's has a new coat of paint and a totally different appearance. It is clear that her mother intends to move into the smaller room so that kami and daiyoukai can share double bed in the largest bedroom.

Kagome would have protested, but her husband –wonderful word! – stops her and instead offers his sincere gratitude to his new mother-in-law. Mama Higurashi waves away his thanks, welcomes him to the family then drags her son and father-in-law out of the building and into town for dinner so the newly-weds can have some time alone.

**Whirlwind**

Kagome is a little dazed by the sheer speed of the events that have just transpired –just yesterday afternoon she was on the battlefield fighting for her life– but is swiftly distracted by her red-eyed mate leading her firmly into their new bedroom. His demeanour suggests he intends to take full advantage of the opportunity he has been granted and Kagome doesn't have it in her to resist him.

* * *

Sesshoumaru proves that five hundred years are no obstacle to careful planning: Inutaisho has a legal identity of his very own!


	3. Beginning

**Beginning**

…

**Morning**

Ten days after the marriage to her mate which makes their relationship a legal reality in the eyes of human law, Kagome gets up early, puts on the –thankfully modest– uniform required by Sarayoshiki Senior High and helps her husband with the still slightly unfamiliar clothing that he picked out for himself on their recent shopping excursion. Their marriage has not gone unnoticed: though none of their feudal family have visited them yet, various documents and bank cards arrived at the Higurashi Shrine via courier two days after their trip to the registry office. Despite keeping a low profile, the Saidou family is not short on cash and Inutaisho's account is sufficiently full that he doesn't have to worry about ever needing a job. Not that he would anyway: Inutaisho insists he will be too busy doting on his mate to bother with such trivial human things.

**Impressions**

Kagome is perfectly happy to let her shamelessly possessive mate escort her out of the Shrine grounds to the station, onto the train and across the city to her new school; their bond is fully established now and she understands a whole lot of inu things far better than before. They are visiting new territory, so her mate feels the need to ensure she is safe and check out any possible dangers in the area. In a few months' time he will no longer _need_ to escort her to school to keep his instincts in check, though he may continue to do so regardless.

Kaidan is a rather rough area, but Inutaisho's height –he is six foot four inches tall to her five foot two– wild white hair in a high ponytail and vivid facial tattoos ensure they are given a wide berth. As he is wearing loose white trousers tucked into leather calf boots and a comfortable blue and white long-sleeved shirt with his gauntlets covering his forearms from elbow to knuckle, he probably looks like the worst kind of thug. Kagome doesn't really see it: to her he just looks like a youkai warrior making an effort to fit in and not intimidate the locals. Well, not intimidate them too much.

**Intent**

After a brief stop by the headmaster's office to explain how 'Higurashi Kagome' has suddenly become 'Saidou Kagome', Inutaisho escorted Kagome to her classroom, kissed her goodbye –staked his claim– and left the building, though the young kami knows he isn't likely to go very far. He will probably spend the time she is in school investigating the faint youki trails that crisscross the district, generally familiarise himself with the roads, buildings and ways the locals move through the urban jungle, determine who the people who think they are at the top of the heap are and make sure they know better than to cross him.

She isn't worried about him: he's been a general for over two millennia and anyone who gets the better of him really deserves their victory, however fleeting it would prove. Inutaisho was feared by his contemporaries for a reason.

**Adaptation**

Kagome would actually rather like to join her mate, but sadly she has lessons to attend and shallow, frivolous teenagers to put up with. As several of her new classmates stare at her either with lust or envy depending on their gender, the young kami absently fingers the hilt of Dokuseiga's disguised form; as the wife of a youkai lord she is obliged to never leave her home unarmed or at the very least unescorted. This is not a custom she objects to, as so long spent fighting and being threatened with death has left its mark on her soul and she doesn't feel as safe without the blade her stepson gifted to her. Unfortunately however her sword is not something she can use to defend herself from jealous and spiteful mortal females.

Sesshoumaru has clearly affected her thought processes more profoundly than she thought possible.

**Clarity**

When the teacher arrives and asks her to introduce herself Kagome is very blunt in establishing her own claim on Inutaisho:

"Hello, my name is Saidou Kagome and I am married to Saidou Inutaisho, who escorted me to class today. Please take care of me."

There are a few groans of disappointment as she declares both herself and her husband off-limits, but the class quickly settles under the teacher's stern gaze. The young kami then lets herself be drawn into the lesson.

* * *

Life goes on and Kagome goes back to school. Her new school however is placed bang in the middle of certain well-known individuals' territory; Kaidan is Urameshi Yusuke's home neighbourhood.


	4. Understanding

**Understanding**

…

**Hunt**

Inutaisho is utterly disgusted by the cacophony of foul smells that assault his nose in this immense human settlement, but he has enough skill to be able to ignore those scents which do not interest him. Currently he is following the trail of a Kourime, one still a vulnerable child and without an adult youkai of any species protecting her. Such a situation is unacceptable to the Dog General: Ice Maidens for all their dislike of outsiders are very protective of their young so she is probably an orphan, alone without anyone to guide and raise her. Not to mention the little girl is probably not only completely ignorant of her people's customs, rituals and social practices but of youkai society in general.

**Wait**

He finds the Kourime sitting on a park bench at noon, apparently waiting for someone. Inutaisho observes her from a distance, keeping his own energies completely contained so as not to alert her to his presence. He does not want to frighten the child off by accident: elemental apparitions may reach adult size during their first century, but puberty does not occur until they reach their hundredth year and full maturity is not reached until another century after that. Though the female he is shadowing appears to be around the human age of fourteen, mentally and emotionally she is roughly on par with a human seven-year-old.

The Dog General also wants to gain a better understanding of her situation before he interferes.

**Anger**

It turns out that the individual the Ice Maiden is waiting on is a tall, orange-haired human male, one whose scent betrays dishonourable intentions towards her. As he watches the Dog General finds his fury mounting; only the truly foul and depraved would so much as consider stooping to physically desiring and seducing a child. His eyes red with barely-contained wrath, Inutaisho seizes the Kourime from the disgusting mortal's grasp and teleports with her directly to the Higurashi Shrine.

The child is initially frightened by him, but he reaches out to her gently with his youki and she soon ceases to struggle, reassured that he wants nothing save her own safety and wellbeing. He also reveals to her the impure intentions of the male who she had been with, which confuse her –she is truly an innocent still– but she agrees to stay away from the man she had believed to be a friend. She can now sense the full magnitude of his power and her nature as a Kourime will make her submissive to his commands so long as he treats her with the respect she is due both as a youkai and a female.

**Propriety**

His wife's mother soon notices their presence on the grounds and, after the daiyoukai has explained the child's circumstances and the situation he rescued her from, is perfectly willing to offer the young apparition sanctuary within the Shrine. Inutaisho reassures the girl that here she will be safe from any that seek to exploit her and issues a full, formal offer of protection, which is shyly accepted.

His new ward's name is Yukina and she is eighty-four years old; over a decade and a half shy of puberty. Privately swearing terrible retribution upon the mortal male who sought to defile an innocent child, Inutaisho gravely welcomes her into the House of the West and gently marks her youki with his own in the required manner. He then spends several hours coaxing her life story out of her, telling her about his beloved mate, odd mortal and youkai customs and other, more trivial things, all of which slowly draw her out of her shell until she is giggling and snuggling up to him like a small child should.

She is much more at ease by mid-afternoon, so he turns her care over to his mother-in-law and returns to Kaiden to collect his wife from school. Kagome will need to properly fortify the Shrine's spiritual defences so that those of impure intent cannot enter the grounds.

* * *

I always found Kuwabara's crush on Yukina profoundly creepy considering the manga makes it quite clear she and Hiei haven't even hit puberty yet. Plus everyone just goes along with it! Hiei obviously doesn't know any better -he's a child too for all he's a hardened killer- but Genkai certainly should have put a stop to it.


	5. Reaction

**Reaction**

…

**Ambush**

Kuwabara Kazuma is confident in his own strength and his Spirit Awareness makes him almost impossible to catch by surprise; he is even mildly precognitive. So when he is abruptly overwhelmed by a thick, smothering blanket of malice being focussed on him while eating a picnic lunch in the park with his beloved he freezes in confusion as he cannot sense anyone nearby, human or otherwise.

**Loss**

His instant of shock is fatal: Yukina is snatched from his grasp by a large white-haired, red-eyed demon that instantly vanishes with the Kourime. Kazume reacts just as his crush disappears and extends his Awareness to track the kidnapper, but to his horror there is no trail: neither Yukina or the unknown demon have left so much as a trace of their presence behind anywhere save by the bench, and even that is fading with startling speed.

**Hurry**

Suddenly realising that his beloved is not just stolen but impossible for him to find, Kazuma grabs his book bag and dashes out of the park in search of Yusuke. His best friend will be able and perfectly willing to help him find and rescue the beautiful Ice Maiden who holds his heart. He can also call Kurama from Yusuke's, as he is sure the redhead will be happy to help as well.

**Ignorance**

As he runs, the tall ginger wonders what kind of demon has abducted his soul mate –he's never met anyone who can hide from him like that before– and why. Since Enki has forbidden all of Makai's subjects from doing evil in the Human Realm he has to be a rogue of some sort, one who made it past Hiei's watchful patrolling of the Demon Realm's borders. Kazuma shivers; whoever this nut-job was he was both incredibly stealthy and really, _really_ angry. Maybe he has a grudge against Hiei and somehow found out Yukina was the short, irritable swordsman's twin sister?

* * *

Kazuma's reaction; I'm not sure if I've got his personality quite right.


	6. Ripples

**Ripples**

…

**Identity**

When Kuwabara arrives at the ramen stand and starts babbling about Yukina, Urameshi Yusuke's first thought is that Hiei has finally had enough of the tall teen mooning over his twin sister. However once Kuwabara has calmed down a bit the former delinquent realises the demon his friend saw is not Hiei: for one, the apparition is not that tall.

**Classification**

Chu and Hokushin were eating ramen and chatting with Yusuke when Kuwabara arrived; both pause in their eating as he rambles on and Hokushin looks rather concerned. The young mazoku notices.

"Spill," he demands.

Hokushin frowns. "Whoever abducted the Kourime is either a weak, D-class one-trick-pony or high S-class," he says bluntly. "Only a few weak kinds of youkai can completely conceal their youki, but certain very old and experienced demons can learn to blend their aura to the point it becomes indistinguishable from their surroundings."

"So this guy is either a weakling working for someone more dangerous or a serious threat who does his own dirty work," Yusuke summarises, cracking his knuckles. "Sounds like a challenge."

**Anonymous**

Yusuke's first action is to call Kurama: the fox is a good friend, a valuable ally and has the right kind of experience to help with this sort of thing. His second action is to grill Hokushin on which kinds of youkai could have done this and the strong individuals the monk knows of who can blend their aura. Comparing Hokushin's list against Kuwabara's description however reduces their list of possible suspects down to nothing: the individual isn't remotely like anyone Hokushin mentioned.

**Unknown**

It turns out Kuwabara's more detailed description firmly rules out all the D-class youkai, as even moderate stealth and teleportation are not traits that are ever found together in anyone less than A-class. Hokushin is also positive there are no S-class youkai in Makai who match Kuwabara's description, though the monk is positive the stranger _is_ S-class considering the only hints of inhumanity Kuwabara noticed were pointed ears and facial tattoos. The red eyes are apparently a sign of extreme anger and don't count.

* * *

Apparently I did a good enough job of conveying Kuwabara's personality in the last chapter for most of my readers, which is nice to know.

Chu is the drunk demon the Spirit Detectives first met at the Dark Tournament, while Hokushin is one or Raizen's old advisors. Bare in mind that the latter is speaking from his own knowledge of demons, which is not as complete as it might be: There's a lot yet to be revealed about how the world has changed in the past 500 years.


	7. Case

**Case**

…

**Investigation**

When Kurama arrives at the ramen booth Yusuke decides they should separate and look around the neighbourhood just in case anybody has seen the unknown youkai who abducted Yukina hanging around. The spirit fox doesn't think the search is likely to come to much if their kidnapper is a professional, but recognises they might get lucky.

**Witness**

Surprisingly Kurama finds evidence of the mystery youkai less than an hour into his search: the demon kidnapper was seen with a girl wearing the Sarayashiki Senior High uniform that very morning, walking from the northern train station towards the school. The elderly gossip who regales the redhead with the tale has a lot to say on the subject of young love and charming young men who treated their girlfriends like empresses; the kitsune thief suspects the girl is either an accomplice or a previous victim.

**Data**

Quietly breaking into Sarayashiki Senior High's records room, Kurama soon learns that one of the new female students has recently married and lives a good way outside of Kaidan. Her home is in the right direction for her to travel to school via the northern train station the kidnapping youkai had been seen leaving, which is promising. The former bandit makes a note of the young woman's name –Saidou Kagome formerly of the Higurashi family– and her address before he makes himself scarce; should the demon return to retrieve his possible mate then Kurama does not want to be caught snooping.

**Conclusions**

Kurama now suspects that Saidou Kagome is more likely to be an accomplice then a victim: her repeated absences over the previous year are suggestive to someone who knows that Yusuke's own many absences were, in his fifteenth year, more a result of Reikai business than anything more mundane. That her grades remained slightly above average after taking a slight dip in the first two months and the various ridiculous excuses her family had made for her leads the demon fox to believe she was not being coerced or threatened by her 'husband'. He will have to investigate and find out if the kidnapper has a legal human identity despite being S-class; for the marriage to be legal he must do.

Of course, he might have misjudged the situation: there isn't much to work with. But what evidence there is suggests that a premature confrontation with the couple would likely leave him at a greater disadvantage than following them to their home and attempting a private meeting. So instead Kurama turns towards where he can sense Yusuke's distinctive mixed reiki and youki signature and lopes off to share his findings.

* * *

Second chapter of the day! Kurama is quiet, sneaky and very intelligent indeed.


	8. Knowing

**Knowing**

…

**Connection **

Kagome knows what her mate has been getting up to despite the miles separating them: the bond between them is now fully realised, so he can communicate with her regardless of distance. She would have liked him to be a little less hasty, but he is an inu for all he is a fully grown daiyoukai and inuyoukai are all rather impulsive. Beg pardon: _decisive._ The young kami hopes the friends and brother Yukina has mentioned are willing to hear her mate's side of the story, as she would prefer not to have to heal anybody of near-fatal wounds before the explanations can start.

**Planning**

She notices the kitsune sneaking into the school building but does not react other than to quietly warn her husband that they may well have to prepare for a house call. The Shrine is at least easily fortified: she could feel the passive barriers humming as she walked out from under the tori gate onto the street. The grounds are naturally protected from low-level demons by the purity radiating from the goshimboku, so it will not take much to raise the level of protection to discourage anyone short of a full dai.

**Attention**

The fox soon leaves; he is still a juvenile but strong regardless. Probably four or so centuries old, which makes him adult but nowhere near fully mature. Having spent most of a year mothering Shippo, Kagome knows more about kitsune than most who are not foxes themselves. Inutaisho is even more knowledgeable and he identifies the spy as a nature-orientated Spirit Fox possessing a soulless, formerly-human body. The fox has likely been in residence from well before his current body's birth.

Inutaisho concedes it is a clever way for one so young to avoid death –upon reaching maturity at nine hundred kitsune are mostly immune to permanent death– but it cripples the fox' access to his natural abilities and dulls his youkai instincts.

**Show**

When lessons end Kagome emerges from the school building and walks directly into the arms of her mate, who lifts her off her feet and kisses her passionately in full view of everyone. Inuyoukai are charmingly expressive with those who matter to them –though Inutaisho's maturity and confidence in his ability to protect her make him more expressive than most– and the young kami is too used to her husband's displays of affection to be embarrassed by the wolf whistles and squeals of delight his actions provoke from their audience.

Both of them are well aware of the fact that the fox from earlier has returned with a mixed group of reasonably strong youkai and the man Inutaisho stole Yukina from. The group is watching them and the daiyoukai is making his claim on Kagome very clear indeed. He is also not suppressing his aura more than is necessary to avoid mortal attention; Kagome's own divine aura is undetectable as kami are a natural part of the world and her mikoki is suitably suppressed under her skin.

Kagome wonders what kind of youkai they are; other than the kitsune, their species are new to her.

* * *

The flipside of the last few chapters. This is for all my wonderful reviewers: I would not be writing if not for all the appreciation 'Fangs' got and the people clamouring for a sequel!


	9. Chase

**Chase**

…

**Perceptive**

Only Kurama recognises the true meaning of the blatant show of affection; while Chuu and Hokushin are also youkai, they are not among the so-called 'beast blooded'. The fox on the other hand is, and while his instincts are slightly dulled by his sojourn in his current form there is nothing wrong with his memories.

Their adversary is a very powerful beast youkai and Saidou Kagome is his mate: their auras complete each-other. He wonders what kind of psychic powers she has.

**Irrelevant**

The former bandit also has no trouble recognising that he and his comrades are being baited: there is no way such a high level demon as this one has failed to notice them. Especially considering how poor Yusuke's control over his aura is. The tall, mature male however is ignoring them completely in favour of his blue-eyed mate, whom he dotes upon openly and unstintingly.

Kurama is slightly envious of the youkai's obvious strength and unshakable confidence: only someone who _knows_ they are untouchable can be so free and easy with their affections before a hostile audience.

**Hustle**

The white-haired youkai with lightning-like facial markings maintains his focus on his charming mortal mate throughout the train ride from Kaidan's northern station all the way to the end of the line in Okutama, four city wards over. The constant touching, nudging and amorous murmuring lead the fox to suspect their target is a social type of demon as no insect, reptile, fish or solitary mammalian species would ever be so attentive, not even before potential rivals for their mate's affections.

As soon as the train stops however the youkai is out of the doors, his mate's schoolbag hanging off one shoulder and the girl herself being dragged along by the arm firmly wrapped around her waist. Kurama is impressed both by the young woman's continued good humour –Keiko would never let Yusuke get away with that kind of behaviour– and that she manages to keep her feet under her; she likely has practice.

**Strategy**

It is much harder to trail the couple through the small town they have arrived in, but their target is sufficiently distinctive that Kurama doesn't have to worry about losing track of him. In the interests of not drawing too much attention their party has split: Hokushin and Kurama are keeping the youkai in sight while Yusuke, Kuwabara and Chuu hang a good way behind, as the three of them are considerably more conspicuous in such small town surroundings. The trio are tailing Kurama and Hokushin rather than the youkai who abducted Yukina, making them less likely to be caught.

**Block**

Kurama is starting to think they are being led on a wild goose chase –or possibly a trap– when the couple step off the pavement and through a tori gate next to a sign proclaiming the gate to lead to the Higurashi Shrine. As they do so power blooms around them, ancient, potent and frighteningly willing. There is a pink flash, a rush that terrifies the kitsune in a manner that is as primal as it is incomprehensible and then he can sense nothing except the stinging crackle of the barrier that now extends away from the gate on either side along the edge of the Shrine grounds; he has lost his target completely.

**Instinct**

The fox cautiously approaches the wall, reaching out a hand then quickly retracting it as the faint pink wall stings him. Just standing close to the high, domed barrier is uncomfortable and though he's never seen anything like it before he just _knows_ that whatever this is, it could kill him. He doesn't like the feeling.

* * *

Okutama is an actual town in the Greater Tokyo area that I have decided to make the site of the Higurashi Shrine. Meanwhile, Kurama is outfoxed and encounters his first holy barrier.

Oh, and thanks to Diane who pointed out that Chuu's name has two 'u'.


	10. Stalled

**Stalled**

…

**Barrier**

As the gang loiter outside the tori gate below the shrine, undecided on what to do next, Yusuke eyes the barrier thoughtfully. It is much stronger on either side of the gate than within the arch, indicating that entrance should be possible. However stepping over the gate's threshold made his body burn like fire and acid, eating away at his youki with terrifying speed. Chuu and Hokushin sport actual burns from touching the barrier outside the gate and Kurama refuses to go within six feet of it.

Strangely, Kuwabara bounces off rather than being burnt.

**Unwelcome**

Kuwabara eventually tries to use his dimensional sword to get past the barrier and briefly succeeds, but on landing inside the shrine grounds is instantly and violently evicted back through the gate to the sound of a gong. After the tall and now very dusty teen briefly loses his temper at such an undignified landing, someone addresses them:

"Who trespasses?"

Yusuke blinks. It's that girl from earlier who the youkai they're after was hanging all over, except now she's dressed as a miko and has a very functional-looking longbow slung across her back. Interestingly though she doesn't seem to have any arrows.

**Overkill**

"Give Yukina-chan back!" Kuwabara instantly shouts, scrambling off the ground and waving a fist. The girl ignores him, preferring to look around at the four other guys in turn.

"The outer barrier is to discourage youkai from entering the Shrine grounds," she says conversationally, "but the inner protections will only activate against those of impure intent. Those who mean harm to any who dwell upon these grounds may not enter either."

So they can't get in because they want to attack the bastard who abducted Yukina. But she said the outer barrier was just to discourage? Yusuke knows just how nasty that barrier is; it would probably immolate a B-class demon on contact. What kind of assault was this chick expecting and what kind of demons has she met that she considers that bit of work to be just discouraging?

**Introductions**

"My intentions are pure!" Kuwabara bellows, a hand clutched over his heart. "I must rescue my beloved Yukina-chan!"

The miko ignores him completely, instead frowning at the group. "You are yet to introduce yourselves, so I shall begin. I am Saidou Kagome, as you are already aware, and I am the miko of this shrine."

Yusuke blinks again. She knew that they knew her name? Did that mean-

"You sensed me?" Kurama asks, curious. "How?"

The miko –Kagome– smiles enigmatically. "I am a _traditional_ miko, kitsune-san."

* * *

Yusuke again and today's second chapter! Kagome meets the YuYu gang.


	11. Fortified

**Fortified**

…

**Preparation**

Kagome had guessed that the Shrine was dedicated to her, but did not fully realise what that meant until she stood beneath the torii and reached out with her power towards the dormant wards. Only then, as they respond to her with swift eagerness and a feeling of coming home at last, does she understand.

She is a kami, a greater Spirit of the World and this ground is _hers_. Every tree, every stone, every speck of dust in the wind is hers to mould and all respond to her power in an instant. The barrier rises around her territory in less than no time at all, locking out any who wish harm on those in her care.

As soon as the barrier is up Inutaisho lifts her off her feet and runs up the stairs to the house, laughing in delight at her strength and skill. Once inside they instantly change into clothing suitable for a formal confrontation and possible battle: Kagome considers her feudal garb before deciding a proper miko outfit is more appropriate while on Shrine grounds.

**Negligible**

The young kami allows her land to conceal her return down the steps to the gate from the five males stood outside the gate –one human, one hanyou and three youkai– until she is barely five metres from the edge of the barrier. Then she addresses them politely, aware of her mate watching from just out of sight. He hasn't bothered with his armour and is yet to replace the swords he left his sons as their inheritance with so much as a steel place-holder, indicating he doesn't consider the party a threat to either of them.

**Manners**

After the slightly idiotic ginger has made a fool of himself –he reminds her of Hojo and his ancestor– Kagome politely introduces herself in a way designed to provoke the kitsune's curiosity and put him more at ease, showing playfulness and a willingness to banter. The fox clearly recognises her intent as he relaxes slightly and responds:

"My name is Minamino Shuuichi, Saidou-san, but I am also the yoko Kurama. With me are Urameshi Yusuke," the black-haired hanyou "Kuwabara Kazuma," the ginger "Chuu and Hokushin." The latter is bald and the former has a mohawk, but both are fully humanoid demons. They are strong, but not even all together are they remotely near even Sesshoumaru's level, let alone Inutaisho's.

Kagome bows politely: "A pleasure."

**Information**

"What does it mean to be a traditional miko, Saidou-san?" the kitsune asks next, his manner so reminiscent of Shippo is brings a pang to her heart. Kagome smiles past the pain:

"Please call me Kagome, Minamino-san. It means that I was born with the ability to purify youkai."

"Then please call me Kurama, Kagome-san."

"Seriously?!" Urameshi Yusuke interrupts, looking rather disturbed. Or, as her modern friends would put it, freaked. "You can cancel out our powers?!"

"Your powers might be temporarily annulled, Urameshi-san," Kagome clarifies, "but your three youkai companions would be reduced to ash on the wind."

"Meh, call me Yusuke," the hanyou tells her, looking more curious than afraid. "What about Kuwabara?"

Kagome lets her disapproval of the ginger's person show as her face turns to stone in a very Sesshoumaru-like manner. "My powers do not affect him directly as he is fully human, but the impurity he fosters in his heart is sufficient to allow me to bar his passage."

* * *

On being a kami and Kagome's side of meeting the party. Oh, and I finally have a proper name for Inutaisho lined up and an idea of how his powers work, which is going to give a lot of powerful people a lot of headaches. Mwa ha har!


	12. Truth

**Truth**

…

**Shock**

"What's this impurity thingy you're so hung up on?" Yusuke asks, interrupting Kuwabara's outraged tirade about chivalry and gentlemanly behaviour. His best friend is furiously indignant at the way Kagome is singling him out and the mazoku can't really blame him. "What's Kuwabara done that's so bad?"

"He lusts after a child," the miko says flatly, fingering her bow.

"WHAT?!"

**Denial**

"I do not!" Kuwabara protests vehemently as the other four all turn to stare at him; Yusuke is disbelieving but Kurama is unreadable, Hokushin appears disgusted and Chuu looks ready to kill. "Yukina-chan is the only one I love!" declares the human psychic, both hands clenched into fists.

"Apparitions do even not begin puberty until their hundredth year of life," the miko says clearly, drawing the gang's attention back to her, "and Yukina-chan is not yet eighty-five. She is therefore pre-pubescent, making her a child. Moreover, her mental, physical and emotional maturity is similar to those of a human seven-year-old, regardless of her size. You, Kuwabara Kazuma, lust after and sought to seduce a child."

The stunned silence that follows her words is deafening.

**Thought**

After recovering from his shock Yusuke considers the chick's words, ignoring Kuwabara falling to his knees and clutching at his hair in horror while moaning about dishonour. It does explain quite a few things, like why Yukina never seemed to notice his idiot friend's very obvious crush, as well as how come the Kourime is still as flat as a board.

**Tangent**

"Kurama?" he asks, realising something. "Doesn't this mean Hiei's a kid too?"

The redhead nods. "I never knew how old Hiei was, but this does explain why he's never shown even the slightest interest in women."

Yusuke groans. "Friggin' seven and S-class already. He's gonna keep getting stronger, isn't he?"

Kurama smiles. "You are too, aren't you?" he points out mildly.

Yeah, but Hiei's a kid! He's got way more room to grow than Yusuke has.

**Acceptance**

"Okay, so Yukina's a kid," Yusuke agrees, kicking Kuwabara until the ginger stops snivelling about committing suicide to restore his honour. "We still want her back though."

Kagome shakes her head. "Not possible Yusuke-san."

"Oh? Why not?" She'd better be alright or he'd kick this chick's ass, barrier or no barrier.

"My mate offered to make her a ward of his House and she accepted: Yukina is now our foster-daughter so her wellbeing is our responsibility."

**Bombshell**

Hokushin's warning hand on Yusue's shoulder stops the young mazoku's flippant retort dead.

"What House does your mate claim?"

The miko smiles. "My mate and I belong to the House of the West."

"The House of the West and all its vassals vanished even before Enma created the barrier and banished us into Makai," the demon monk says confidently. "They are no more."

Kagome fixes all five of them with an icy glare that makes even Yusuke shiver. "I am Kagome, Shikon no Miko, untouched by time and mated to the Inu no Taisho of the West. I am stepmother to Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands and his mate who both live to this day and accept me as such. The House of the West is not dead, never has been and will never die."

The mazoku suspects the various people she's mentioned are a big deal, considering that Hokushin is now hyperventilating in outright panic.

* * *

You know that moment when you realise you are in really, really deep shit and there's no way out? Hokushin's right there.

Today's second chapter.


	13. General

**General**

…

**Grovel**

"A-a-apologies, Kagome-sama," Hokushin finally manages to articulate, bowing very low indeed and shaking like a leaf. "This lowly one did not intend to cause offense to such a great and accomplished lady with his foolishness."

Kagome is abruptly reminded of Jaken, leading her to smile as she assures the trembling youkai monk that she will forgive his ignorance.

**Recognition**

Inutaisho chooses this moment to emerge from the trees, speeding to stand beside his wife in a blur too fast for anyone less than a daiyoukai to follow. He greets Kagome with a peck on the cheek, then addresses the cowering monk:

"I remember you: you were once one of Raizen's followers, were you not?"

"I, was, Inu-no-Taisho-sama," Hokushin says nervously, not having yet dared to rise from his knees.

"What happened to him?" Inutaisho asks curiously. "I haven't seen him in… huh. Seven hundred years. Doesn't time fly."

The monk winces. "My lord is dead, Inu-no-Taisho-sama."

**Disappointment**

Kagome suspects her husband's current expression is as close as he'll ever get to pouting like a child. She can feel he liked this Raizen as a person and enjoyed fighting him.

"A favourite enemy, beloved?" she asks.

"Raizen was persistent, very honourable for a mazoku and had interesting allies, but he wasn't all that much of a challenge," Inutaisho tells her as he frowns thoughtfully down at the group. "Very entertaining though; how did he meet his death?"

* * *

See that? Raizen was merely entertaining. You thought you were badass, Yusuke! Burn!


	14. Food

**Food**

…

**Diet**

Yusuke is still reeling from the demon's offhand dismissal of his old man, so doesn't answer the question. Hokushin however, does:

"Lord Raizen starved himself to death after deciding to never eat human flesh ever again. He started shortly after your reported death, Inu-no-Taisho-sama, and finally passed about three years ago."

"What a waste," the youkai the monk is addressing as 'General of Dogs' grumbles, folding his arms across his chest. "It is not as though there are not other things he could have eaten instead of simply wasting away."

"I thought demons either ate normal food or human flesh," Yusuke wonders, then realises he said that out loud.

**Revealed**

The Dog General doesn't look offended, just amused.

"Only the mazoku make a point of devouring human flesh, believing it will strengthen them," he says with a hint of mirth in his voice. "Other than them, only weak demons who can't kill anything stronger eat humans. The strong tend to eat lesser youkai while the truly strong sustain themselves upon the energies of the world that birthed us. Food is a pleasure rather than a necessity to those who are born great."

Yusuke isn't sure whether to be pissed off at his dad for rolling over and dying when he could have found something else to eat or be freaked out by the idea of demons eating each-other. Not that it is all that surprising really.

**Misstep**

"You eat other demons? Isn't that cannibalism?" Kuwabara blurts out, having apparently recovered enough to notice what's going on around him. Yusuke flinches from the sudden fury that crosses the powerful youkai's face.

"You eat cattle, do you not human?" he demands. "Is that cannibalism?"

"Aite," Kagome says gently, placing a hand on the demon's arm. "It isn't worth it."

The white-haired youkai stills completely for a moment before speaking again, his voice utterly flat and empty. "Lesser youkai are as mindless as mortal beasts, the only differences being their greater strength and ability to speak language mortals understand. That however does not make them intelligent: All beasts speak if you have the inclination to heed them. Do not judge what you do not understand and if you have nothing of worth to contribute keep your mouth closed." He then turns to play with his wife's hair, sharp claws glinting in the sunlight.

**Split**

Kuwabara opens his mouth again, but Chuu quickly kicks him in the ribs before any words can emerge.

"You and your husband have assumed guardianship of Yukina-chan then, Kagome-san," Kurama says hurriedly before the ginger idiot can get his breath back. "Are we permitted to visit her? Her brother will want to know that she is well."

"You and your demon companions are welcome to see her if you choose," the chick says pleasantly as her husband nuzzles her ear. "I'd prefer your human friend however to refrain from visiting until he has his head properly sorted out and has acquired some semblance of proper manners."

"No worries, sheila; us two were just along for moral support," Chuu drawls, waving a hand dismissively before dragging Hokushin to his feet. "C'mon mate, I saw a bar back this way." He scoops up a confused Kuwabara on his way past, slinging the unresponsive ginger over his shoulder. "A stiff drink'll sort ya."

**Leap**

Yusuke and Kurama are left alone in front of the torii as the barrier thins away enough to let them through. Shrugging off his nerves, the mazoku steps over the threshold.

* * *

Aite means mate or partner. We also get to see what daiyoukai eat. Not all that surprising really.


	15. Polite

**Polite**

…

**Bright**

Yukina is obviously fine: Yusuke and Kurama traipse up a set of steps to rival the ones leading up to Genkai's place and over to a house where they find the green-haired kourime baking chocolate biscuits with a completely mundane human woman the Dog General addresses as 'honourable mother-in-law'. The young Ice Maiden is also far livelier than either mazoku or kitsune have ever seen before, smiling happily and her eyes shining with innocent delight.

**Propriety**

Yusuke would have liked to chat with Kagome's mom, considering that the lady is very obviously about as spiritually aware as a brick. However he and the fox are very firmly invited to tea in the traditionally laid out main room of the house, so he puts off snooping until next time. He may be a self-confessed thug but that doesn't mean he doesn't have manners.

**Appropriate**

Sitting around the low table as the miko chick serves tea with a grace he's only ever seen on television in those old shows is a rather odd experience for Yusuke. Inutaisho's attention is wholly on his wife and Kurama shifts into his demonic form even before sitting down. The weird miko serving the tea –because seriously what kind of miko marries a demon? – does not so much as raise an eyebrow at the fox's white hair, pointed ears and furry tail, leading Yusuke to wonder if he's supposed to let his own demonic markings show like they do whenever he calls on his youki.

However it's too late for that now and he doesn't want to be rude –and wouldn't Keiko be shocked to hear him admit that– so he just accepts his tea and tries to remember how he's supposed to behave in a mostly-informal tea ceremony.

**Pleasantry**

As senior guest Kurama takes on the role of making polite comments and asking superficial questions of their extremely formidable host. The Dog General seems to find the kitsune amusing for some reason and answers pleasantly enough, though Yusuke suspects there's a whole lot more going on in the conversation than he can pick up on. All he can tell is that Kurama is finding himself outmatched in the battle of wits, at least he thinks that's why the kitsune's tail is twitching like that.

* * *

Yes, it has been three months. All I can say in my defense is that I was bitten by a particularly virulent One Piece plotbunny and two hundred thousand words later it _still_ won't let go. I have a new story on my profile, am working on a sort-of sequel and then noticed I hadn't touched anything else in far too long. Oops. I do have another chapter of this to write up though, so rest assured there will be more and very soon.


	16. Ventured

**Ventured**

…

**Entertainment**

After the tea and conversation Yusuke decides he may as well go for broke and speaks up:

"Hey, Inutaisho-san, can we spar?"

The Dog General grins. "I would be delighted for the opportunity to assess your competence, young mazoku."

The amused look in the demon's eye is actually more reassuring than galling; however much it hurts his ego to admit it, Yusuke would much rather this guy _not_ take him seriously.

**Boxed**

Standing in the large open space bordered on two sides by the shrine and the family's home and on the other two by trees, Yusuke watches slightly nervously as the miko chick erects a large square barrier around him and the Dog General. He's never done a real cage fight before –the barrier includes a roof above their heads– and is a bit apprehensive about how this could go. This guy is strong enough to swat him like a fly.

He did ask for this though, which makes him even dumber than Kuwabara. The young mazoku then shrugs off his nerves, calls on his inner energies and charges.

**Risible**

Most of an hour later Yusuke is bloody, battered and exhausted and his opponent is yet to move from his spot or even shift his weight a bit. The bastard hasn't even stopped smiling and the mazoku can't scratch him. Nothing works.

The Dog General hasn't even hit him properly yet: the older youkai's every blow is a casual open-handed swat, Yusuke's reigun blasts are either caught and thrown back or absent-mindedly deflected and most of the mazoku's injuries are from being tossed around the enclosed arena like a rag doll and bouncing off the barrier.

**Reason**

The former Spirit Detective is torn. On the one hand he knows he hasn't a hope in hell of winning this, but on the other he'd kinda like to at least get the demon's tolerantly condescending grin to at least falter slightly. Then his common sense kicks in and he remembers this guy thought Raizen at the height of his power was just 'entertaining'.

Yusuke gives up. He's knows he's a bit of an idiot but he's not _that_ dumb.

* * *

Yusuke gets pwned. He takes it well though.


End file.
